Tao Yuanming: Return to Live in Gardens and Fields: Five Poems: No.3

Return to Live in Gardens and Fields: Five Poems: No.3

(3)

其 三

种 豆 南 山 下
草 盛 豆 苗 稀。
晨 兴 理 荒 秽
带 月 荷 锄 归。

道 狭 草 木 长
夕 露 沾 我 衣。
衣 沾 不 足 惜
但 使 愿 无 违。

Qi San

Zhong dou nan shan xia
Cao cheng dou miao xi.                                                                                                         Chen xing li huang hui
Dai yue he chu gui.

Dao xia cao mu chang
Xi lu zhan wo yi.                                                                                                                            Yi zhan bu zu xi
Dan shi yuan wu wei.

Return to Live in Gardens and Field: Five Poems: No. 3

Growing beans below the southern mountains
Weeds grow thick, bean sprouts sparse.
Early morning light, cultivate the raw land
Moon rise, carry my hoe back home.

Narrow path, trees and grass tall and bending over
At sunset, the dew moistens my clothes.
Having damp clothes does not deserve regret
Just hope my dreams go unbroken.

Commentary:

In this poem, Tao Yuanming now focuses on the simplicity of a farming life.  Because Tao is so new to farming, most of his plants he describes as weeds.  He has not taken over a piece of land that had  previously been a farm, but rather he had to cultivate the raw land.  Perhaps no one had lived on this land for many years.  But he is hopeful for the best, and dreams on.